Toyota's MR2 was hailed as a breakthrough by the Noddy Car press when it was released in 1984. First seen as the SV-3 'concept' car at the 1984 Tokyo Motor Show, it was on sale only a few months later. At the time, there were no GT-R Skylines, no Impreza WRXs, no MX-5s. The Toyota Supra was about as exciting as things got, but was just a RWD Celica with more fat. Even if it was one of the last Japanese manufacturers to embrace FWD technology across its range, Toyota was more in tune with building excitement into it cars than other manufacturers. Then to confirm its position, it let loose the MR2.
This one wasn't front wheel drive - heck, it didn't even have the motor in the front. The motor was stuffed behind the front seats where the back seat should be. No back seat in this one, babe. Because of its size and drivetrain layout, comparisons were immediately drawn to the FIAT X1/9 of the early '70s. Rumour has it that Toyota designed the first generation MR2 by buying an X1/9 and building it ten percent bigger. If this is true, it would be significant for two reasons: Toyota still considered the X1/9 a significant car nearly 15 years after it was first developed, and it took nearly 15 years for Toyota to summon the courage to copy it.
Toyota worked smart, rather than hard, when it designed the MR2. Under the engine cover was a 'parts bin' Corolla drivetrain, (you know how it is Max, a p-p-piece from here and a p-p-piece from there!) using the acclaimed DOHC 4A-GEU motor from the Sprinter. Coupled to this was the FWD Corolla transaxle and struts. Under the 'bonnet' was the brake booster, spare tyre and bugger-all else. Up at the blunt end was a piffing little boot that could hold a bottle of beer and a toothbrush. The MR2 was intended as a driver's car first and foremost and firmly ensconced Toyota as a capable manufacturer of cars that showed a bit of pulse.
A little later on came the supercharged version. Not marketed in Australia, the willing and strong little 1600 scored a rootes-style, clutch-controlled puffer for even more driver satisfaction.
Michael Zamil was impressed with the MR2. Waving goodbye to a Walkinshaw Commodore and a stroked LS Monaro, he bought a pristine 50,000 km MR2 in 1993. Seduced by the promise of brilliant mid-mount, rear-wheel-drive handling and a good power-to-weight ratio, he drove it standard for a while then delivered it to Croydon Autosports for one or two minor modifications. The intention was to completely re-build and re-engineer the car to create an absolutely ballistic street stormer. The car was stripped to a bare shell and the original drivetrain wheeled out from underneath and stored.
A 4A-GZE (factory Japanese supercharged) engine and gearbox were sourced for the basis of a potent powerplant. Michael and the boys at CA had been doing a little bit of thinking and figured that if a supercharged engine was good for low speed torque and a turbo helps at the top end, then why not combine the two for the boost of both worlds? The standard supercharged import motor was disassembled and rebuilt using a brace of TRD components. To lower compression a HKS copper decompression plate was used. A Garret T04 turbo was plumbed into the intake ahead of the factory supercharger and an intercooler added. Cams were left standard and the boost pressure was set somewhere in the vicinity of 20psi. Controlling the fuel delivery was the job of a Microtech EMC controlling TRD injectors pulsing into the standard inlet manifold. Under the motor is a rebuilt factory-tough 4AGZE transmission, that has a locked diff and beefed-up axles.
As well as the engine development, the rest of the car was being upgraded in a big way. A body kit was sourced from Japan and grafted on. The off-the-shelf MR2 spoiler and side skirts are complemented by a modified Lancer Evolution 11 rear wing and factory supercharged MR2 engine cover. All the components were ordered through Croydon Autosports and are finished in the same 2-pak white that adorns the rest of the MR2. Subtle? More like 'sledgehammer', giving the MR2 a wild and wide stance. Suspension mods at this stage were restricted to a set of K-Mac springs that bring the ride height down 2 1/2 inches over the polished 1 6x8 Enkei five-spokes and 205/40 BF Goodrich rubber.
Michael chose to have the complete interior finished in rich, quality leather. Upholstered by Roman Autotek, the new interior was trimmed around Suzuki GTi seats. Even the sunvisors are covered in cowhide. Underfoot is black wool carpet. Virtually nothing in the interior is standard with housings for the extensive sound system making up most of the modifications. A top-of-the-range Sony stereo head unit, Bumper 15" sub-woofer in a passenger footwell enclosure, six inch Pioneer mid-bass speakers, two three-inch and two four-inch JBL mids, two Pioneer and two JBL tweeters, two Sony CD ten-stackers, a Pioneer 2x50 WRMS amp and an Alpine 4x35 WRMS amp make up the meat of the in-car entertainment system. A Sanyo digital sound processor and Sony passive equaliser help smooth out the sound delivery that has had SPL measured at 132dB. Also finding room in the passenger cell is a Momo steering wheel, a phone, Razo pedal set and a set of 'A' pillar-mounted AutoMeter gauges for boost, oil pressure and water temperature.
Back on the road and Michael carefully ran the motor in before giving it some stick. Having owned a couple of quick V8s. Michael knew vaguely what to expect. But even he got a shock. Zero-1OOkm/h times were in the five second zone, and a session on Croydon's chassis dyno revealed a staggering 240kW at the wheels.
"It was fun on the street! Nothing could catch it!" says Michael. All was going well until Michael was cruising one night with the stereo on and the boost turned up. Planting his foot in fifth gear at about 90km/h the engine began pinging. Michael couldn't hear the sounds of destruction over the stereo and before he knew it holes hod been smashed through the TRD pistons.
"Boy, was I pissed off. It was my own fault. I just expected a little too much of the motor, trying to handle that much boost at low revs. But that's life." Brought back to Croydon, an interim engine was put together along the same lines as the first: 4A-GZE with TRD components. But this time the supercharger was omitted and a smaller T4/3 combination turbo made to provide more mid-range punch. Linked to the huge fan-assisted intercooler that was a feature of the original, the engine is more forgiving but less powerful. No matter. Michael is stockpiling parts for his new engine. A brand new block has been sourced along with a TRD crank that will be modified for more stroke. Combined with an overbore, capacity should be around 1800cc. With the supercharger and turbocharger combination sorted out, high 11s or low 12s should be a snack, according to Michael. And that, folks, is a wild mister two with a much meaner demeanour.